Mistletoe Version 02
by thirteen-forty-two
Summary: A better, re-written version. Damn poisonous plants...


**I re-wrote it and made pretty big changes. So I thought I'd upload it separately since the other one has been up for a while.**

_

* * *

__You're the lotto I hit.  
__You're the star at the top of the tree._

And you're first on that list.

* * *

"I don't get it, and I'm sure as _hell_ not doing it."

Damn that teasing, arrogant smirk reaching up into eyes more brilliantly crimson than the glittering glass orbs decorating the tree. Each ball is illuminated by the golden lights, expertly woven through the branches. Absolutely ethereal.

Against radiant ivory skin and silky ebony hair, what could the holiday ornaments matter against beauty like this?

This is a sight to be seen. That deep red sweater, matching his bloodlust eyes, is too long in the sleeves, covering his delicate hands, while his long, nimble fingers poke out shyly, fiddling with the ends of the expensive black scarf artistically hanging around his perfect neck. It hugs his thin frame in all of the right ways. The style in which the creature moves leaves much to the imagination, but deep down, everyone looking at this celestial flawlessness knows what lies beneath his winter-wear.

He's generally the center of attention as it is, but this time, he's only after one pair of saffron eyes amongst dozens. One intense gaze that burns into his own, giving him anxious cravings that he has never experienced before.

"What's not to get, Shizu-chan? Afraid you might _like_ it?"

And there's that clandestine, knowing voice. Confident and unabashed as always.

Absolutely... shameless.

_Damn it_.

"NO!"

A clumsy retort bursts from the nervous blond, trapped in this awkward mistake. No eloquence whatsoever. He lacks poetic etiquette, but at least he's honest.

Or so he thinks.

"You so would."

"What? _Like it_? Hell no," he sneers, averting his metallic gaze to the table of various confections.

The sugar cookies on the left are calling his name, but he's fully drawn to the fragile minx, insistent on taunting him to his last nerve.

Those glittering ornaments - and not those that dangle from the tree - narrow into sharp slits, settling on their prey. "Ah, but you've never even done it before."

Shizuo jolts, as if to blanket his inexperience. But he's only almost eighteen. _Only almost_. He's young; yet he knows it's not an excuse. Most of his classmates have been in more relationships than they can count on one hand. He's different, unconvinced that there exists a girl - let alone a person - who would fare well with him as their boyfriend, despite the many cute females in his class who slipped notes into his shoe box, or went pink in the cheeks every time they grabbed his attention with an innocent "hello."

But this parasite is far from innocent. In fact, he is unlike anything Shizuo has ever seen. Completely incomparable to anything else he has ever known.

"That's not true!" he snaps.

But it is.

"Not even with a girl."

His cheeks flood with a burning shade of pink. He's good at defending himself - probably the best with strength like that of a mythological deity. But this time is different. He isn't really sure what to do while the little black bird taunts him with factual information. "Shut up!"

"Why?" the raven steps closer, fearlessly sizing up the tall blond.

It makes the tiny hairs on the back of Shizuo's neck stand on end; somehow managing to anger the emotionally fragile creature at the same time.

It has to be that smile. It _has_ to be. Nothing else makes him so livid, while awakening a foreign tingling sensation in his chest every. Damn. Time.

"I'M NOT GONNA KISS YOU. PISS OFF," he demands.

Realizing that he's drawing in the attention of his surrounding classmates, the frustrated teen regrets coming to this stupid party, silently swearing to himself that Shinra will owe him for the rest of his life, unless Shizuo kills him first.

Where the fuck is Shinra anyway?

Most of these people aren't even his friends. In fact, if anything, they're afraid of him.

But not the obnoxious demon so bravely taunting him now.

Never.

"Oh, but you are," _it_ coos.

Shizuo is beginning to think this brat is delusional. It wouldn't surprise him. Most people have already given him a list of hypothetical disorders to describe his madness. Bipolar Disorder. Schizophrenia. Split Personality Disorder.

Essentially, the list goes on, all of which have been denied by the experts, but nobody really believes that this… this _flea_… is sane. It's just not possible. Either way, he's batshit.

So why does the agitated blond feel the urge to play along? Why does the warmth continue to spread throughout his system?

"Oh? Why's that?" he wonders.

The brunet's devious smile widens. "Because, idiot. You _have_ to."

"The hell I do!" Shizuo hisses, clenching his fists. He is unsure if he can restrain himself much longer. He really, really wants to punch the smirk off this guy's face.

"But it's a rule," he states, arching a brow.

"What the fuck kind of rule is that?"

"How am I supposed to know? I didn't invent Christmas. It's just a rule. You have to follow it."

The raven says this so matter-of-factly, like he has never been so sure of anything in his life. Like he's surprised that Shizuo honestly doesn't understand it. However, it's a little known fact that Shizuo's family doesn't celebrate Christmas, so he feels he should be exempt from all of these idiotic traditions which follow. They don't make sense, and the only thing he really likes about this time of year is the excess of sweets, which was Shinra's hook for getting him here anyway.

Besides!

He rolls his golden eyes, unaware that to the brunet, they too, are more brilliant than the decorations hanging from the tree. "Tch. Says the guy who makes it a point to break ALL the fucking rules."

And this is a fact as well. The brunet really does make it a point to break as many rules, laws, and expectancies as possible. He refuses to equate himself with the ordinary people of this world; therefore, he must fight against the norms of society, fighting a not-so-righteous battle against all of it's blatant, moronic hypocrisy in the hopes that he may someday bend humanity to his will.

Put simply: he's a psychotic freak. Totally delusional.

"Not this one," the freak shakes his head confidently.

"So you're willing to follow the rules of a plant? But nothing else?" Shizuo growls, pointing to the green branch, covered in tiny white blossoms and tied off with a shiny red ribbon, which dangles over their heads.

He has the urge to rip it down, throw it to the ground, and stomp on it. Though, he's fairly sure his classmates would be offended.

Stupid party. Stupid Sweets. Stupid Shinra. Stupid louse.

"Pretty much," is the response equipped to a nonchalant shrug of the shoulders.

Shizuo raises a questioning brow. "Isn't that a double standard?"

"No, idiot."

"I'm not doing it," he says bluntly, trying his best to ignore the insult. Even idiot is better than… "Shizu-chan." _Bleck_.

The brunet believes otherwise, repeating, "_You have to_."

"Why? What happens if I don't?"

And he really doesn't know what will happen. Secretly, that is a very scary thought to wonder what will happen when he doesn't deliver. Especially to this vindictive little parasite.

"The big fat red man will put coal in your stocking, and you'll forever be known as the protozoan who hates Christmas."

"I do not hate Christmas!" he retorts. He simply doesn't celebrate it. In fact, he quite enjoys the sparkling lights against the chilly weather. They're sort of… mesmerizing… especially when it snows. "I just don't see the point in kissing you just because some stupid, poisonous plant says so!"

"Stop whining," the raven drones exaggeratedly. "We could have had this long over with if you'd just man up and do it! It's just one kiss."

Just. One. Kiss.

Shizuo feels like he's drowning as his mind races for an excuse. "Y-yeah? So? It's YOU. I don't wanna give my first kiss to YOU."

A pleasantly surprised expression comes over that perfectly smooth face, adding more glow to those red eyes. The blond is almost hooked into them when they suddenly slide shut, and a wild laughter erupts from the brunet. He curls over, coiling his skinny arms around his stomach as he giggles. "HA! I knew it! Really, Shizu-chan? Not even one girl? That's just sad."

Fully irate by this point, Shizuo slams the chatty louse into the wall, trapping him between his strong arms. There's a warning look in his starry eyes, but he does his best to restrain himself. "What? And you have?"

"Plenty!"

In fact, he had managed to steal three before the blond even showed up.

Shizuo tries to blink back incredulity. The brunet must be nuts. He's absolutely fearless. "Then why are you so desperate to kiss me?"

"_Desperate_? I'm not desperate!" he lies.

Shizuo is too irritated to see it.

"Then why?" he asks between his teeth, inching closer.

"I don't know," the brunet giggles. "Because I'm bi-curious and I've never kissed a guy either."

"No. I mean, why ME."

The lithe creature scans him up and down, taking a serious moment to consider this question. "Why _not_ you?"

Feeling himself beginning to tremble beneath his own rage, Shizuo spends a moment attempting to calm himself before he sends this tick through the other side of the plaster. He would rather murder the fluttering sensation in his chest than sort it out. And he would much rather avoid a violent outburst altogether. He feels like he's trapped in a lose-lose situation.

"I don't even _like_ you," he growls in a dangerously low tone, making sure that the only one who can hear his snide choice of words is the person they are meant for. "In fact, I'm pretty sure I _hate_ you."

Immediately, the brightness of those scarlet eyes dims. That happy, arrogant smirk fights to stay in place, while the creature wearing these immaculate features struggles not to be read. He swallows, repressing the hurtful revelation with flaky acting skills.

"Ouch. Well, then..." he closes his eyes. Watching him force those lips into a smile is nearing painful. Shizuo can hear the torment in his softened voice. "If that's the way you feel... I guess rules are meant to be broken. Ne? N-no need to be so harsh about it."

Unfortunately for the brunet, he barely makes it to "rules" before the glee has fully evaporated from his being. Nervously, he brings his gaze back to Shizuo's, giving him a silent apology.

The blond knows he shouldn't... but he suddenly feels... guilty.

"Oi. Don't... _Seriously_? Don't look at me like that..." he sighs, releasing the raven from his trap of limbs.

He doesn't move. Instead, he quietly hangs his head and waits for Shizuo to leave him alone. Knowing they've caused a scene, his Christmas wish is for invisibility. How embarrassing. He has never been shot down before. "No..." he mumbles. "Forget it. I'm sorry."

But now... Damn it. Now Shizuo is curious. "_Forget it_? No. I'm not just gonna forget it."

"I'm sorry... I just thought... I thought maybe..."

"What?"

"Never mind," the brunet shakes his head, knowing that it's probably better this way.

"Tell me."

"No," the creature insistently shakes his head, covering his eyes with silky ebony tresses. He would love to cry, but if he does, these people surrounding them will see him weak. He can't have that, even though he's pretty sure they already know. "It doesn't matter."

Shizuo stares at him in confusion. A moment ago, he was making a huge deal out of this. Now, he wants to call it off as if it never happened? He doesn't know much about kisses, or Christmas, or even love, but the blond knows that this isn't how this stuff is supposed work. "Yes it does."

"To who?"

"Me," Shizuo insists.

"No..."

"Flea..."

Said flea falters, leaning back against the wall for support. His knees are shaking, and he feels dizzy. "I... I just hoped that maybe you felt the same way... but that's stupid of me... Ne?"

"Feel the - oh…" and Shizuo's own revelation sinks in. He takes a wary step back, pressing his hands into the sides of his head. "Izaya, I..."

Dabbing his damp eyes with his sleeve, a dejected Izaya dares to glance back at Shizuo, whose vivid shock is almost comical. He snorts his cynical amusement. The blond's anger has vanished; yet the tingling in his chest remains. His mind is swarmed with options, knowing that all of them are a bad idea for one reason or another. He can't even remember why he truly hates the louse in the first place, if at all.

"I..."

Izaya swallows hard. "You what, Shizu-chan...?"

Settling on the best of his options, Shizuo steps forward, swallowing his pride. Unsure if it's his guilt taking control of his actions, he takes Izaya by both hands and leans in, gently closing the space between their lips. With a racing heart, he deepens the kiss for several seconds before pulling away. Being that it's his first time, he hopes to whatever powers may be that he's doing it right.

"Okay..." he mutters under his breath, anxious for a reaction other than silence from the brunet, along with the rest of the party.

Giving his first kiss to another boy was the last thing on his list of accomplishments in life. Often times, he had run over this moment in his mind, imagining some pretty girl in his arms, who liked his bleached hair. One who did not mind his smoking, temper, simplicity, and… who really cared?

Shizuo never once thought he would give the first kiss of his life to him. Orihara Izaya. Of all people.

"'Okay' what?" Izaya blinks, placing his trembling fingers to his lips after sliding his hands out of Shizuo's.

Shizuo lets out an embarrassed sigh. Radiantly red in the cheeks, he admits, "I… I think I liked it."

"You _think_…?" the brunet questions, unsure has how somebody can be… unsure. "Either you did or you didn't."

"I don't know," the blond shrugs.

"How don't you know?"

"Well… er…" he pauses, wondering if there is a right answer. "You didn't kiss me back."

Batting his thick lashes over ruby spheres, Izaya's dangerous smirk returns to his pretty face with a vengeance. The look is enticing, controlling Shizuo's next set of moves. So, he does it again, silently cursing some stupid, poisonous plant, while the fluttering sensation encases his heart in a warmth that could very well melt the chill of the season.

Cupping Izaya's face in his hands, he lets out a low groan when a slick tongue runs over his bottom lip before entering his mouth to intimately dance with his own. In an attempt to deepen the kiss, Shizuo clumsily slams the louse against the wall, jolting when their teeth click together. Izaya giggles without stopping, thoroughly enjoying the warm contact he has been after since day one, almost four years ago. It seems silly that it has taken him this long, but the wait was more than worth it.

Coming up for air, the tiny raven dreamily sighs, nuzzling his face in the crook of the blond's neck to hide his fresh coyness from curious onlookers. Shizuo is warm and comfortable; opposite of this year's freezing winter. Everything he expected and more. And Shizuo still doesn't understand why, but he doesn't care. He likes that somebody started this stupid tradition of hanging foliage known as "mistletoe" in their doorway, and wishes for it to become a year-round trend.


End file.
